DRILL PLANNED: Polk County Practices Decontamination

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Don’t be alarmed if you see a lot of people in HAZMAT suits on Thursday, the Polk County Health Department has a decontamination exercise planned.

The department is working with other Des Moines agencies, such as the fire and police department, to stage a full-scale drill focused on decontamination procedures, which would need to be used in the event of bio-terrorism or an industrial accident.

During the exercise streets will be closed, equipment and vehicles will be in place, and a potential crime scene will be sectioned off. Officials are asking for the public’s cooperation to keep away from the area of Illinois Street.